Lens grinding unit



- 1949 A. F. WILLIAMS LENS GRINDING UNIT Fild July 24, 1945 5 Shets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ARTHUR F. WILLI ATTORNEY Dec. 6, 1949 A. F. WILLIAMS 2,490,495

LENS GRINDING UNIT Filed July 24, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ARTHUR E WILLIAMS ATTORNEY Dec. 6, 1949 A. F. WILLIAMS 2,490,495

LENS GRINDING UNIT Filed July 24, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 a I I 5 r0 &| l z @i 9 IO I I n q. 2

, N K n i" I Dec. 6, 1949- A. F. WILLIAMS 2,490,495

LENS GRINDING UNIT Filed July 24, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR ARTHUR E WILLIAMS ATTORNEY Dec. 6, 1949 WILLIAMS 2,490,495

, LENS GRINDING UNIT 7 Filed y 2 1 45 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR ARTHUR F. WILLIAMS BY Ma /5221;

ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 6, 1949 UNITED STATES 'ZAttAtS OFFICE 2 Claims.

1 This invention relates to a lens grinding unit which is adapted to support the optical lens which ,is to be ground with a marginal groove along the upper edge of the lens so that the lens may fit into the sectional frame of a spectacle to support the lens without making holes through the same. The unit includes a clamping arm which clamps the lens under spring tension to hold it firmly While it is marginally ground by the unit on the upper edge of the front surface thereof. The unit also includes a grinding wheel which is operated by any source of power and which is provided with a top shield that may be elevated away from the grinding wheel and there is also a lower ,shield having a channel for admitting water to the grinding wheel to keep the same moist while the wheel is in grinding operation;

The grinding unit also includes a truing device .which is equipped with apiece of carbon set in an adjustable screw. The truing device includes a supporting shaft positioned above the shaft which drives the grinding wheel and having a hand engaging lever which permits the truing carbon to be moved across the face of the wheel ,to the surface of the grinding wheel.

The lens grinding unit also includes a spring clasp with an extended arm shaped for curvature to adapt itself to the standardized front are groove cut in the optical lens. An auxiliary spiral spring is provided near the rear of the three layer 7 shaft mounted in the base of the grinding unit support. This shaft is provided with a key-way slot for holding the shaft in line and in which a set screw may engage to lock the shaft in a set position, This right angular shaft may be adjusted by a knurled hand operating nut threaded .to one end of the shaft which bears against the standard which supports the shaft and by means of a coil spring between the standard and the shoulder formed on the shaft the right angular arm may bemoved in the desired direction. When it has been positioned-as desired, the set screw will lock it in place. This right angular shaft supports the spring clip guide and also the 1 guide plate which is formed with an arcuated surface fitting closely to the grinding surface of the grinding wheel and which is formed with a lens bearing surface which is arcuated to virtually the same are as that of the upper edge of the lens the toric lens with a marginal groove along its upper outer edge, the lens is held by the clamping arm and this is swung into position to be ground by the wheel with the top surface of the lens resting against the outer curved surface of the lens guiding plate. The right angular arm is adapted to support the lens guide plate and the spring clip guide in proper position or relation to the grinding wheel. The adjustment of the right angular arm regulates the depth of the marginal groove cut in the margin of the lens.

The optical lens grinding unit includes a supporting base having an upwardly extending standard which is formed with an integral head portion in which the drive shaft for the driving wheels is mounted and the shaft for the truing device is also mounted. The truing device shaft is positioned directly above and-slightly to the rear of the longitudinal center of the shaft which drives the grinding wheel. The base member is formed with an integral forwardly projecting arm which forms a base support for the optical lens clamping arm.

The lens grinding unit includes a lens clamping arm mounted on a universal joint which is supported on a bracket arm projecting horizontally from the inner end of an adjustable shaft which is supported by the arm projecting from the main base portion of the unit. This shaft which supports the universal joint is provided with a longitudinal key-way and a rack and pinion operating means with a hand wheel for operating the rack and pinion so as to move the shaft supporting universal joint toward or away from the grinding wheel. This movement carries the lens supporting clamping arm into the desired position in relation to the grinding wheel so that when the lens is supported in the lens clamping arm it may be swung into engagement with the edge of the grinding wheel to out a marginal groove in the top edge of the lens.

The first groove in the spectacle lens is ground on the upper outer marginal edge of the same while the lens is held firmly in the lens clamping arm which forms the convex groove in the marginal edge of the lens. While the first groove is being ground with the lens held by the clamping arm the spring clip guide is moved away from -the lens guide plate and the grinding wheel to permit the lens supporting arm to swing freely along the lens guide plate and against the grinding wheel.

After the first groove is formed in the lens it is released from the clamping arm by compressing to be ground. Thus when it is desired to grind 55 the lever at the inner end of the same and then the operator holds the lens by hand using the spring clip as a guide following in the first marginal groove in the lens and then the operator moves the lens past the grinding wheel to grind the second marginal groove on the opposite side of the lens to the first groove.

The lens clamping arm includes a lens clamp on the inner end of the arm with a coil spring for automatically closing the clamp. At the outer end of the lens clamping arm is provided a hand lever which operates an internal plunger in the shaft of the clamping arm to force the lens clamping plates into open position against the coil spring which normally holds them closed. Then by means of a universal joint the lens clamping arm is permitted to move with freedom of movement in a prescribed arc. I also provide an annular sleeve with a spring which provides a necessary frictional tension to hold the clamping arm against to free transverse rotation.

The free end of the lens clamping arm is provided with lens gripping pads; one is stationary and the other is annular to fit the contour of the lens.

These features together with details and other objects will be more clearly hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings forming part of the specification:

Figure 1 is a planned view of my lens grinding unit.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of my lens grinding unit looking toward the outer end of the shaft which supports the grinding wheel.

Figure 3 is the rear View of my optical lens grinding unit.

Figure 4 is a detail of the lens guiding plate positioned adjacent to the grinding wheel.

Figure 5 is also a detail of the lens guiding plate looking toward the front of the same.

Figure 6 is an end view looking toward the universally mounted end clamping plate of the lens clamping arm.

Figure '7 is a section on the line 1-! of Figure 6.

Figure 3 is a perspective of a detail portion of a spectacle frame section used for supporting lenses grooved by my lens grinding unit.

Figure 9 is a cross section through the frame section shown in Figure 8 and illustrating the 'lens in section held in the spectacle frame.

Figure 10 is a cross section of a detail portion of an optical lens illustrating marginal grooves formed on either side of the top edge of the lens.

Figure 11 is a longitudinal sectional view through the unit B.

Figure 12 is an enlarged section on the line l2--l2 of Figure 11.

Figure 13 is a view partially in section showin a lens held in contact with the grinding wheel for cutting the groove on the outside surface thereof with the guide shoein inoperative position.

Figure 14 is an enlarged detailed sectional view of a portion of Figure 13.

Figure 15 is a view similar to Figure 14 showing the lens in position for grinding the groove on the outer or concave surface of the lens with the guide shoe in operative position.

Figure 16 is an enlarged perspective View of a portion of the machine showing the lens in position for grinding the groove on the front or convex surface of the upper edge of a lens.

Figure 1'7 is a View similar to Figure 16 showing the grooving of the rear or concave surface of the lens on the upper edge, the lens being held by the operator against the lens guide and grinding wheel.

The lens grinding unit A is formed with a base member ID adapted to be mounted on any suitable bed to hold the unit A firm for operation. The base member ID extends upwardly in a conical form as illustrated in Figure 3 and is formed with an integral head portion H in which the drive shaft I2 is mounted. The head portion H forms a long bearing for the shaft [2 and I provide a coupling I3 which may be connected to any source of power such as an electric motor or other driving means to rotate the shaft l2. On the opposite end of the shaft [2 to the coupling [3 I mount a grinding wheel M which is held on the shaft by nut I5 so that the grinding wheel may be replaced when desired by a new wheel.

The wheel I 4 is guardedover the top by the hinged uard It which may be lifted to expose the top of the grinding wheel l4 when desired. A lower guard and water channel I! extends around from the back and over the lower portion of the grinding wheel as illustrated in Figure 2. This guard I! has a water inlet opening H8 at the back of the same and a water outlet opening !9 is formed at the bottom of the guard I! and is supported by the arm 20 to the shelf 2| which projects upwardly from the head H as illustrated in Figures 1 and 3.

The grinding wheel truing means is slideably mounted on the shaft 22 in the head II and is provided with a hand engaging lever 23, illustrated in Figure 1 to permit the shaft 22 to be freely moved in the bearings 24 formed in the head II.

On one end of the shaft 22 I mount a threaded screw 25 which is formed with an operating head 25. The shaft 22 is bifurcated, bein formed with a slot 21 so as to provide a tension against the threads of the screw 25 to hold the screw in set position. In the lower end of the screw 25, I mount a hard carbon member 28 which is for the purpose of truing the outer surface of the grinding wheel 14 when it is desired. The truing operation of the wheel I4 is carried out by raising the guard I6 and then adjusting the screw 25 by the knurled knob 26 into the desired engagement with the surface of the wheel I4 and then while the grinding wheel is in rotary operation the lever 23 operates the shaft 22 to move the carbon cutter 28 across the surface of the wheel I 4. In this manner the surface of the wheel I4 may be directed to insure a sharper cutting edge on the grinding wheel for cutting the marginal groove in the top edge of the optical lens as will later be set forth.

Normally the truing device is moved into a retarded position away from the wheel l4 and the guard l6 extends over the top of the grinding wheel 14. The free end [6 of the guard I6 is adapted to rest upon the top of the lens guiding plate 29 as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. The lens guiding plate 29 is supported by the front plate 30 which in turn is supported on the vertical shaft 3|. The-lower end of the shaft 3| is mounted in the bracket'32. The bracket 32 is supported by the right angular shaft 33 which extends through the bearing 34 formed on the back of the conical standard Ill. The shaft 33 is formed with a longitudinal key-way 35 into which the set screw 36 engages to hold the shaft 33 in a horizontal position with the base It]. When set screw 36 is fully withdrawn from "keyway- 35; bracket 32 and shaft 3i Figure 2 'may' be moved in the direction of the dotted lines 'so that guide plate 29 maybe moved away from grinding wheel 14-.

A- collar 37- is mounted on the shaft 33 and is held against movement in one direction by the pin 38 which extends: through the shaft 33.

A coil spring 39- is mounted around the shaft 33 andextends between the collar 31 and the shoulder 48 on the standard Ill. Qn'eend'of the shaft 331s threaded and by means of the threaded -nut 4|, the shaft 33; may be adjusted; to vary the position of the shaft in its; mounting 34'; The coil spring. 39 moves the, shaft in one direction when the set screw 36 is released and the threaded nut 41 operates to move the shaft, against the action of the spring 119.

The shaft 33 is moved in a manner to properly adjust. the. lens guiding plate 29 so as to position the plate 29 in a predetermined position in relae 1-4 asthe lens is moved over the concave guiding surface 42.

The lens guiding plate 29 is formed with a con-caved surface 43 which fits closely to the surface of the grinding wheel 14 and in fact eoncaved with the same! outer periphery of the grinding wheel l4. The front plate 39 supports the lensguiding spring 44, the shank of which is made up of several spring layers. A coil spring 45 is mounted on the front plate 30 as illustrated in Figure l and is adapted to bear against the leaves of the spring 44 to increase the tension of the spring 44 when it is desired by operating the nut 46 on the end of the shaft which supports the coil spring 45.

The spring 45 is formed with a lens guide shoe 41 illustrated in Figures 1, 4, and 5, to adjust the free end of the spring 44 I provide a cam 48 which may be operated by the hand lever 49 to bear against the inner surface of the leaves of the spring 44 to move the shoe 47 away from the grinding edge of the grinder i4 when the upper inner marginal groove is cut in a lens. The cam 48 is shown in Figures 4 and 5 and by means of the shoulder 56 formed on the back of the cam 48 and the adjustable screw 5! which is operated by the head 52, the normal position of the cam 48 may be adjusted. By means of this adjustment in the operation of the head 52, the cam 48 may be set against the inner surface of the guiding spring 44 to move the lens guiding shoe 4'! toward or away from the grinding edge of the grinder 14. However, if it is desired to quickly move the shoe 41 awav from the grinding surface of the wheel [4, the hand lever 49 may operate the cam 48 to move the shoe away from the grinding wheel I 4 when the lever 49 is released the shoe 5'! will return to the normal position bearing against the surface of the cam 48.

The lens guiding shoe 41 provides a guide against which the surface of the lens may rest while the top edge is resting against the lens guiding plate 29. Further the shoe 5'? provides a guide for engaging in the marginal groove formed in the outer surface of the optical lens (Lil iii

'57:? away from the lens gripping pad 53.

6 when the lens is held by the hand of the operator and the final marginal groove is formed in the rear upper marginal edge of the lens. The en gaging surface of the shoe 4'! is curved tofit the convex outer surface of a lens.

In other words the optical lens is adapted to be grooved on both sides marginally on the top edge of the lens. The first groove in the marginal edge of the lens is formed by supporting the lens in the lens clamping lever .B, the details of which will be more fully hereinafter set forth.

Afterthe lens has been grooved on one side it can be removed from the clamp B and held by the hand of the operator and'a marginal groove may be formed on the other side of the lens by holding the first groove in the lens against the guide shoe ii and the top edge of the lens against the surface of the lens guiding plate 29 illustrated in Figures 17 and 15.

The lens clamping lever is made up of a hollow shaft 53 in which the plunger 54 is operated to move the lens clamping arm 55 against the action of the coil spring 56 to move the lens gripping pad A knurled collar 59; adjusts the tension of the spring the knurled collar being threaded on the outer surface of the shaft 53 adjacent to lens gripping pad 58.

The lens gripping pad 58 is freely mounted with a swivel joint 69 as illustrated in Figure 7 and Figure 11 to permit the pad 53 to adjust itself to the surface of the lens between the pads 51 and 58.

The arm 55 is operated by the plunger 54 which in turn is operated by the hand lever (it which is mounted in the bracket 62 and fixed on the shaft 53 as illustrated in Figure 2.

The shaft 53 with the lens gripping pads 51 and 58 rotates'in the bearing 63. A coil spring 84 mounted on the shaft 53 and operating against a fibre washer 55 which bears against the bearing 63 and against the collar 66 provides the desired tension or friction between the shaft 53 and the bearing 63 to prevent free rotation of the same. The collar 66 can be set to regulate the tension of the spring 64. Thus I provide a frictional bearing which holds the shaft 53 to free rotation yet permits the shaft to be rotated so that the lens gripped between pads may be rotated as the lens is being ground by the wheel l4 and then bears against the guide plate 29.

The bearings 63 are mounted in a universal joint 5'! which in turn is carried by the arm 68 mounted on the front end of the shaft 69. The universal joint 67 gives free movement to the shaft 53 and the end of the same which carries the lens gripping pads 51 and 58.

The shaft 69 is mounted in the bearing ill. The bearing 10 is supported by the upright standard H which in turn is mounted on the base arm 12 which is formed integral with the base Ii) as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

The shaft 69 is formed with a longitudinal keyslot 13 in the to of the same and the shaft is held against rotation by a key fitting into the slot which key is held by the nuts 14 as illustrated in Figure 1.

On the bottom surface of the shaft 69 a longitudinal rack formed with gear teeth is formed which is adapted to mesh with a pinion (the pinion and rack not being illustrated in the drawings) and the pinion being operated by the shaft 15 which in turn is rotated by the hand wheel 16, thus by means of the wheel '76 the shaft 69 can be moved back and forth in the bearings 10 the groove 18 of the lens 80.

which in turn moves the arm 68 to carry the shaft 53 back and forth toward or away from the grind-,

:ing wheel I. The wheel 16 is operated to adjust :the end of the shaft 53 which carries the lens between the pads 51 and 58 into the proper position in relation to the grinding wheel 14 so that .the lens may be formed with a marginal groove .by coming in contact with the grinding wheel I4.

The plate 8| directly below the universal joint 6! limits the swinging movement of the shaft 53 about the joint.

The frame section 8| is adapted to engage in My lens grinding unit A is adapted to grind the groove 18 in the marginal edges of the lens, it will therefore be apparent that with my lens grinding unit A a marginal groove may be ground into both sides of the lens or into either side so that the lens may be slipped into a channel shaped frame section as illustrated in the enlarged detail illustrated in Figures 8 and 9.

I claim:

1. A lens groover including a base, a grinding wheel supported thereon, a guide plate having a curved surface opposed to and following the outer periphery of said grinding wheel for a short arc and another surface intersecting said curved surface and adapted to engage a lens edge, a lens guiding shoe positioned on the lens engaging surface of said guide plate and presenting a concave curved surface opposed to the peripheral surface of the grinding wheel and against which the lens is pressed by the pressure of the wheel against the lens, and spring means for retaining said lens guiding shoe against a lens positioned against said guide plate for grooving by said wheel.

2. A lens groover including a base, a grinding wheel supported thereon, a guide plate having a curved surface opposed to and following the outer periphery of said grinding wheel for a short are and another surface intersecting said curved surface and adapted to engage a lens edge, upper and lower guard means for said grinding wheel, said upper guard means being hinged to move away from the surface of the grinding wheel, said upper and lower guard means and said guide plate substantially encircling said grinding wheel, a lens guiding shoe positioned on the lens engaging surface of said guide plate and presenting a concave curved surface opposed to the peripheral surface of the grinding wheel and against which the lens is pressed by the pressure of the wheel against the lens, and spring means for retaining said lens guiding shoe against a lens positioned against said guide plate for grooving by said wheel.

ARTHUR F. WILLIAMS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 737,313 Bader Aug. 25, 1903 1,184,496 Stenvall May 23, 1916 1,227,243 Bugbee May 22, 1917 1,272,474 Long July 16, 1918 1,659,560 Bausch Feb. 21, 1928 1,659,964 Schultz Feb. 21, 1928 2,004,426 Booth et a] June 11, 1935 2,188,585 Williams Jan. 30, 1940 2,246,055 Maynard June 17, 1941 2,293,291 Gaspari Aug. 18, 1942 

